Icing for cookies: today I bring you along with me in a simple and versatile preparation that I often use to decorate homemade cookies and make desserts more refined and elegant, even with just a few gestures.
It is that smooth, glossy icing, perfect for creating white or colored decorations, spreading on surfaces, and making even thin details.
I often prepare it when I want to make cookies even more beautiful, especially during holidays or to create small decorated treats. You will need just a few minutes and very few ingredients to achieve a perfect icing, with a fluid and shiny consistency, that dries without cracking.
If you love decorating cookies, take a look at this article full of ideas:
How to decorate Christmas cookies.
If you like simple but effective decorations, also check out these recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 54.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 14.03 (g) of which sugars 13.75 (g)
- Proteins 0.00 (g)
- Fat 0.00 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 0.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 15 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Cookie Icing
- 5.3 oz powdered sugar
- 3 tbsps water (or lemon juice)
Useful Tools
- Small Bowl
- Spoon
- Sifter
Procedure to Prepare Cookie Icing
I pour the sifted powdered sugar into a small bowl.
I add a very small amount of water or lemon juice at a time and mix with the back of a spoon until I obtain a smooth, lump-free cream.
I continue to mix until the icing drips slowly from the spoon: it should be fluid but not liquid.
For a shinier glaze, I can add a few more drops of lemon.
If I want to color it, I add a dab of gel food coloring and mix well.
I use it immediately on completely cooled cookies: I can spread it with a small spatula or place it in a piping bag for more precise decorations.
Storage and Useful Tips
The cookie icing can be stored in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap in contact for 1–2 days.
If it hardens slightly, I add a drop of water and mix.
For shiny cookies, add a few drops of lemon.
For thin details, prepare a thicker icing.
For quick icing, dip the top of the cookie and let the excess drip.
For a gluten-free version, use certified powdered sugar.
Avoid liquid food coloring, it makes the icing too fluid.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cookie Icing
Can I use egg white?
Yes, replace the water with a slightly whipped pasteurized egg white.
How do I make it thicker?
Add more sifted powdered sugar.
If you try this cookie icing, let me know which desserts you used it for: I am curious to know.
